unfaithful
by xerxesdiva902
Summary: uraharaXOCXOC... i really have no idea how to summarize this.


**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH. I JUST LOVE PUTTING THE CHARACTERS IN AWKWARD SITUATIONS WHICH BRING OUT THEIR OOC-NESS.**

**00000000000000000000**

**UNFAITHFUL**

Kisuke; OC; OC

_Kisuke:_

_The doctor assured me that her condition is now stable. Seeing her lying on that bed, with tubes attached to different parts of her and a bandage around her partially shaved head, I let go of the breath that I realized I was holding. Yes, my Kate was alive, but barely holding on. I'm still in shock over the whole thing. That morning, she was still wearing that smile that I fell in love with, the same smile that broke my heart to pieces. My head is still a mess, I just want to go home, go to bed and crawl in between the sheets to hold her, bask in her warm embrace, but she is here, and her fragile body is nestled among the maze of tubes and machines that help keep her alive. I should not have let her go; I should have stopped her from going. Then that fucking driver who tried to run the red light would not have hit her car and almost killed her, maybe hit someone else's car instead. I don't know. All I know is that she should not be here. She should not be here._

**3 days earlier…**

It was probably around ten in the morning. Kate was wearing a black dress, which ended below her knee. Her curly raven hair was pulled up in a loose bun and she was carrying a small red handbag.

"Why are you dressed up?" the blond man asked, even if he knew the answer. He was sitting on the couch with their sleeping daughter's head on his lap, drained from playing with him. Around them, a good number of toys were scattered here and there, begging to be placed inside the chests.

"Oh. Well, I'm going to have lunch with some friends from college. I haven't seen them in while." The dark haired woman smiled. She then bent over and gave her husband a peck on the cheek. She patted their daughter's head and gave her a small kiss too.

Kisuke knew what was going on. And he wished he hadn't. _Ignorance is bliss they say._ But he wasn't stupid enough not to notice the change in his wife. He idly wondered what had caused it…

"I'm going now…" Kate's soft voice cut through his inner turmoil like a knife. He still wondered how she could still calm him down even after all this madness.

He gently moved his daughter's head from his lap, and stood up to catch his retreating wife's arm. The woman whirled in surprise. His other hand rose to caress her cheek, the one holding her arm moved to draw her closer to him. The woman leaned into the awkward embrace and rested her head on his shoulder. He placed a kiss on her forehead. Holding her like this, he realized that he missed her more than he cared to admit.

"Please drive safely, alright?" the man whispered, feeling his chest constrict painfully. He was asking himself why he was letting her go…

Kate was wearing an unreadable expression on her face. Emotions were running through her, she wasn't quite sure which one she should let take over. She still loved him, very much so. But… there was always a 'but'. She landed a kiss on his slightly chapped lips, the ones she knew so well. He returned the kiss feverishly, as if his life depended on it. She felt it, the confusion, the frustration, the hurt, the anger, but most of all, the love. What had happened, she wondered. What had happened to drive both of them in this painful corner?

"I will." She returned the caress on his cheek. She kissed him again and slowly disentangled herself from him. Kisuke reluctantly let go. She took slow measured steps, stopping to look back at him, still standing where he was, a forlorn look on his face. Her hand rested on the doorknob. How she wished he would say something. Anything to stop her from what she was about to do. Anything would do. Anything would now.

Kisuke stood where he was, unmoving, but his head was a jumble of words and phrases he longed to throw at her. Yet he could not. He could not hurt her, even if she had hurt him the way she did. He simply could not hurt the mother of his children, the one woman he loved.

The walk to her car was probably the most painful walk she ever did in her life. Yet she went through with it anyway, as if she was encouraged by her husband's reaction, or rather non-reaction to it all. The woman started up her car. Her destination was still the same, as it was for the past four, no, five months. She felt guilt steadily creep up on her, but then it always did, yet it did not stop her from going and doing what she was doing.

The drive to Bernard's apartment was uneventful. Even the walk to his door was the same, except the guilt was stronger. But why she bothered to notice this now, she could not say. The door opened, as if it knew she was fast approaching.

She was greeted with a kiss by a tall, dark handsome man. One could tell that he was younger than both her and Kisuke by a couple of years at least. He had a medium built body and he moved with a rugged grace.

She didn't even return the kiss though. What she felt was a cold dread curling up inside her head, and a leaden weight inside her belly. But she let the man grope her and pull her into the spacious apartment anyway.

"Babe, I missed you so much", the man said, his voice muffled by her neck. Her arms automatically wound around his neck, as if to compensate for what she was feeling. She forced herself to smile, and she hoped that it did not look like a grimace.

"I missed you too." The man caressed her cheek, and hooked the loose tendril of hair behind her ear, _just like the way Kisuke does. _The leaden weight in her belly got heavier. It was as if every action Bernard did would remind her of the blond man; the man she was married to for the past several years. She pulled him closer to rest her cheek against his. She really did not want to look at him right now, because images of her Kisuke kept intruding, adding to the guilt she was already feeling. She was about ready to cry when the man's ministrations changed focus.

Bernard was kissing his way along her jaw and down her neck. His hands were slowly undressing her to get better access to her sensitive flesh. When she realized what the man was doing, an unnatural panic seized her. _Only Kisuke is allowed to do this to me, only him._

"Bernard, please stop." the man did not stop though. "I said stop." the tears were now flowing, but the man paid no heed. She forcefully pushed him away from her. She wrapped her arms around her protectively.

The man was confused by her sudden reaction. "Kate, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Did he hurt you? Please tell me." He wound his arms around her, while surreptitiously inspecting her for any signs of injury. She pushed him away again.

"I'm sorry. I can't do this. Please, I can't do this. I have to go." She stood up from the couch where the both of them inadvertently ended up when she arrived. The man was as confused as ever. She never reacted like this before. But her situation had hung over his head like a knife, ready to cut him down no matter how careful he was.

"Wait, you just got here. Stay awhile. Please, stay." The woman turned. She looked at the man who came to love for the past several months. But he could not just compare to her Kisuke. And how she wished those words would come out of Kisuke's mouth. But it wasn't him and there was no other place she would rather be at than by her husband's side. She resumed her walk out of the apartment, and out of Bernard's life.

She got into the car and stayed in there for at least a good ten minutes before she drove home. She willed herself to calm down. She felt free, freer than she had ever felt in her entire life. She would start anew with Kisuke and their children.

Kate was at the intersection waiting for the green light. She was excited to go home. Where her children was, where Kisuke was. As the light turned green, she drove straight ahead, but not a few seconds later, she heard a sickening crunch and felt extreme pain running from her head to her toes next. _Kisuke._ She felt a tear slide down her cheek. _No. Please, not like this. Not like this._ Then darkness claimed her.

Kisuke's hand reached for the phone. He had been feeling queasy since his wife had left that morning. He did not like this feeling of impending doom, but then, he was feeling a lot of it lately. Any more of it would probably cause him to break down.

"Hello?"

"Is this the Urahara residence? May I please talk to Mr. Kisuke Urahara?"

"Yes, this is Kisuke Urahara. Who am I speaking with?"

"This is Hisashi Kakogawa; I'm a doctor here at the Karakura General Hospital. I have some bad news for you sir. Your wife Kate has been involved in a vehicular accident and she is currently in a critical condition…"

The blond man barely heard the next few words the man on the other line spoke. All that registered were the words 'Kate', 'accident' and 'critical condition'. Looking at the two happily playing children, he had to stop himself from swaying. He would have to be strong for them, they depended on him.

"…a driver tried to run the red light… your wife was wearing a seatbelt but the impact was so strong and sudden that it was actually torn… according to initial assessments, she has a severe head injury and a broken left arm and leg… she is currently undergoing surgery… the police already have the driver in custody…"

"I'll be there." He barely heard himself as he croaked those words. But he could not let the children know just yet.

Ever the inquisitive one, Shin noticed that his father was acting strange.

"Daddy?" the boy asked.

The man forced himself to smile, but inside he wanted badly to curl up in a corner and cry. "Ah… I think it would be fun to stay at Aunt Yoruichi and Uncle Jyuushiro's, don't you?"

"But why? And when is mama coming home?"

He froze at the seemingly innocent question. He debated with himself how he would tell the little boy in front of him that his mother was barely alive… he dared not think of that possibility. He would not know what to do if that happened.

"Well," he took a deep breath, "mama can't come home yet. She's sick. I would have to take care of her. That's why you and Aya will be staying at Aunt Yoruichi's okay?" he had to swallow the lump forming in his throat.

"When will we see mama?"

"Don't worry. You'll see her soon, alright?"

He picked Aya up from the tatami mat, who immediately stopped playing the moment she heard the exchange between her brother and her father, as if she understood every word said. The man held her tightly, while the boy clung to his leg. He took a deep breath before herding his children to the bedroom, to get ready for their temporary stay at his friends' home.

He called the Ukitakes next. He could trust Yoruichi and Jyuushiro to take care of the children for the meantime.

Husband and wife picked the children up. When the dark skinned woman heard Kisuke's voice crack and saw his forced smile, she knew something was awfully wrong. She had to pull her friend aside.

"What happened?" Yoruichi asked the blond man, a worried tone in her voice.

The man closed and opened his mouth a few times before he finally spoke.

"Kate's in the hospital. There's been an accident."

She knew something was wrong but she did not expect this.

The foursome left after ensuring that the children had everything they needed. Kisuke then drove dazedly to the hospital, hoping against hope that he would see his wife well, that everything was just a bad dream that he would soon wake up from. He badly wanted to believe that his wife was on her way, and she would find it strange that nobody's home. That she would then call him on his mobile phone, asking him where he was, and who was looking after the children. He kept on expecting his phone to ring, to hear Kate's voice on the other end of the line. But it was not to be, and he couldn't wait for this nightmare to be over.

As he stepped into the sterile hospital interiors, his feet automatically took him to the reception area and asked where Kate's room was. But he found out instead that she was still undergoing surgery, and it would take at least a couple hours more before she is moved into a private room.

Kisuke was a patient man. Yet he could not bear to wait, not if he knew that it was his wife's life at stake.

**Present…**

Kisuke was, as always, sitting by his wife's bedside when someone knocked on the door. He wondered briefly who it was before standing up and opening the door. Shock hit him hard. It was Bernard.

The man standing before him looked so haggard. And it was pretty obvious that he did a lot of crying before he came. The blond knew what drove this man to come. It was exactly the same thing that prompted him to stay by Kate's side. The moment was awkward to say the least. Here was the man who his wife had been messing around with, yet he stripped all of his pride to come face to face with him.

"Please, come in."

Tension was in the air. Both men could not quite meet each other's eyes. Bernard cleared his throat and spoke first.

"How is she?"

"The doctor said her condition's stable. But she has not woken up yet and it's been days. She's still under observation though." The blond croaked breathlessly, almost as if asking for this moment to be just done and over with.

Bernard sighed, almost inaudibly. They were in the same boat now. All they could do was to wait. They both sat silently, the blond man by the bed side, the other man on the couch. Both were lost in their thoughts.

_Bernard:_

_Seeing her like that, surrounded by machines and endless tubes, I feel like I want to yank all of those away and draw her into my arms. I wanted to touch her, hold her and never let her go. But what would that do? I love her, and I do not want to lose her. But she had already made the choice even before she walked out of my apartment. I could not help but wish that I had not met her, then we would not be hurting like this; but Kate, most of all. There are a lot of things that I wish for, and being with her was a dream come true. I realize it was selfish of me to pursue her back then, beating against her defenses even if I knew she was married and immensely devoted to her family. But I also knew she felt lonely, and I built my ammunition on that. I wish I could turn back time, then she would not be here._

_The moment I heard about the accident, my body went numb. I had been walking like a zombie for the past couple of days. I badly wanted to see her, but I was torn between my pride and my love for her. My feelings for her eventually won over, and I do not regret coming here. I just wanted to make sure that she is fine before I finally let her go._

_Her husband is just as drained as I am, probably even more so. There are dark circles around his eyes and I am pretty sure he has difficulty eating just like I do. But I admit that I am jealous of what he has. He has two beautiful children and he has Kate. All I have are memories, and remembering those hurt like hell. What he is going through right now though does not compare to my own hell. It would not be easy, just as it was when it all began._

The uneasy silence between the two men was broken by another knock on the door. Both men's heads turned toward the door. Kisuke stood up to open it. This time, it was Yoruichi holding five year old Shin's hand and her husband Jyuushiro carrying two year old Aya.

"Daddy!" the little boy ran toward the blond man, arms wide open. Said man picked the boy up gladly and held him in a bone crushing embrace. The girl was already reaching out at the first sight of her father. The little girl squirmed in the white haired man's arms, itching to be held by him as well. The adults exchanged discreet nods.

"I think your little girl missed you too, Kisuke", the older man gently smiled and handed the little girl to the blond. The man had already let go of his son and gladly received his other child.

"Is mama still sick?" the little boy tugged at his father's shirt.

"Yes, but the doctor told me she's getting better though." Kisuke nearly choked at the lump in his throat. He hated seeing his children like this. His heart broke for both of them; they were too young to understand what was going on.

The moment Yoruichi caught sight of the other man in the room, her eyes narrowed dangerously. To say that the dark skinned woman was angry was an understatement. How dare the man stomp on her best friend's dignity like this!

"Could we please talk, Kisuke?" the woman's lips were barely moving. Kisuke knew what was coming. He really did not need this now. He sighed, but there was no stopping this. He handed Aya back to Jyuushiro. His eyes met the other man's; sympathy was clearly written in those kind eyes.

"Daddy, where are you going?"

"Don't you worry alright; Aunt Yoruichi just wants to talk to me. We'll be back soon." The blond gently patted the boy's head and went out of the room with his best friend.

"What the hell is that guy doing here?"

"It's the same reason I'm here now, Yoruichi."

"What does that mean? You do know that he was the one Kate was sleeping with. And you let the children see him…"

"Just shut the hell up." This effectively cut the woman's tirade. He leaned on the wall for support, his body racked by uncontrollable sobs. "Please understand. I let him be here because he loves her, as I do. I just want this to be over."

Yoruichi's eyes softened. She drew the taller man into her arms. "I'm sorry."

"I just want this to be over." Sobs continued to rack his body. Yoruichi wished she could do something for him, but at the moment she was at a loss. They had always been the best of friends since they were Shin's age. They have always been there for each other. But this was something she could not do something about, only he would be able to find a way out of this mess. She could only offer her shoulder for him to lean on.

Inside the room, the tension lessened considerably. Yet Bernard was uncomfortable still, as he was surrounded by reminders of what he longed to have. There was Kate, lying on the bed, still unconscious. Then here came her two children, Shin and Aya. They were so young, so young… _if I had met her before all of this, would I have been the one?_

His thoughts were further rattled when Shin approached him.

"Mister, who are you? Are you mama's friend?" Shin was all innocence. He could not bear to look at the boy's face.

"Yes, I'm your mama's friend." He gave the boy a sad smile. The boy returned the smile shyly. "What's your name?"

"Shin." The boy said; head cocked to one side.

"You know, that's a nice name."

The boy beamed at him. How could he have been so callous to hurt an innocent and gentle soul like him, he had no idea. He mussed the boy's hair.

"But mister, you haven't told me your name."

"My name's Bernard." The boy sat beside him now. This wrenched Bernard's gut even more. He forced himself to be ready when he came face to face with Kisuke. But he was not ready for this. He was not yet ready to face her little ones, whose lives he almost ruined.

Jyuushiro had witnessed the entire exchange, even while attending to a perpetually squirming Aya. The man understood why Kisuke let the man stay. While Bernard almost tore the family apart, deep inside he felt remorse for doing so. The older man felt it. But to say Kisuke would forgive the man; that would be hard. Harder than anything the blond man would do in his entire life.

**Origins**

It was spring. Kisuke and his wife Kate had just celebrated their 7th anniversary. Theirs was a happy union, blessed with two children, a boy and a girl. But lately Kate had this restlessness about her, and this had been slowly growing as time went by. She was not as content as she thought she was. She was the envy of women everywhere though, but she felt that all of them misunderstood her. She was getting uneasy, yet she remained steadfast, unwavering in her devotion to her husband and their children.

Then Bernard came.

They met at the coffee shop where Kate stopped by after leaving Aya at the daycare center. She was on her way to her Italian language classes. Despite her age (she was 36), she still looked like she was only in her mid twenties, her body still supple, and this was how she caught the man's eye. When they met, the restlessness that she was feeling intensified, along with the realization that she was lonely despite having her husband beside her. But she also knew that seeing Bernard was wrong, she knew that this would just lead to her marriage's demise. She resisted because she loved her husband and she did not want her children to suffer. Bernard was an ardent suitor though, as if he knew that she was having second thoughts. She eventually gave in and she let guilt consume her like fire every time he touches her.

How her husband found out, she would never know. But his silence on the matter spurred her on, challenging her to go as far as she could. She had broken his faith in her, and it was just a matter of time before her children would suffer was well.

Kisuke, for his part, kept his silence because he still wanted to save his marriage; as if ignoring the matter would make it go away. Hurt though he was, he still loved his wife very much. He was confused though, as to why she would do such a dastardly deed. Had he not provided for her and their children? He thought, as far as he was concerned, he had tried his best to be a good husband and father. Had he not done enough?

**About Ten Days after the Accident…**

_Kisuke:_

_Kate is still in a coma. They have removed much of the tubes and support machines. Though her vital signs are stable, the doctors fear that she would remain in that state for God knows how long. They said the first 24 hours are the most crucial. But it has already been ten days, and the longer she is in this state, the lesser chances of her waking up. I could not just accept that. I keep on telling her how much I love her, and I have already forgiven her. I keep on whispering that I don't want to lose her, to urge her to fight this, to not succumb to death. Day by day, it is still the same; she still has not opened her eyes. But I still hope. If need be, I would wait forever._

_Bernard:_

_We still have not gotten any positive response from Kate. She still lies on that bed unconscious, unmoving. Even if the doctors assured us that her vitals are stable, I could not help but feel a little helpless. But if Kisuke can hope, so can I. So can I._

It was around three in the afternoon. The weather was a bit overcast. Kisuke was standing by the window. Bernard meanwhile was sitting on the narrow couch. During the other's initial visit, they had reached a silent agreement. They would both watch over her. Though the tension had lessened, the situation was by no means awkward. But they did this for her.

Occasionally, they would each talk to her; hoping one of them could elicit a response from her. They hoped even for just a twitch of a finger to know that she was still there. They would sometimes steal glances at each other, assessing the other for any signs of breaking. But they both remain as invincible, defenses impregnable to each other's eyes.

**Memories**

_Bernard awoke to warm soft kisses to his lips, his jaw and neck. He never felt as unbelievably good as he was feeling now. The kisses stopped, replaced by a hand gently caressing him, prompting him to open his eyes. Kate was half reclining beside him. He sat up and pulled the woman close to him, assaulting her lips with hot insistent kisses while his hands reacquainted themselves with her body. She drew away the sheets that pooled around his waist, and wrapped her legs around it instead while she busied her lips with his. Their lips briefly parted when he pulled her dress off over her head. He then gently laid her on the bed once more and removed the final barriers to their lovemaking._

_He gently thrust himself into her eagerly waiting body and was blown away by the wet heat of her. Kate answered in kind, her eyes lidded, her lips parted in a wanton moan. He moved, and every thrust was met by a delicious whimper and a roll of her hips. They soon settled into a steady rhythm. Their lips and tongues met again and restarted their passion driven duel. As they both reached their peak, she drove her hips against his as he attempted to thrust a few more times._

_The force of their orgasm sent them reeling into a pleasurable void as the man collapsed on her. He reluctantly unsheathed himself from her moments later; he wanted to stay like this for as long as he can though. He rolled to one side then drew her closer to him and wrapped his arms possessively around her smaller frame. She in turn put one arm over his chest as one leg settled over a muscular thigh. He reveled in these stolen moments because he knew she did not belong to him. _

_"I love you", he whispered even if he knew that all he would get was a gentle sigh and an apologetic kiss in return. She would never murmur those three words to his ear, to do so was an irrevocable statement to leave her family for him, and she was not ready to do that. But he knew that she felt the same, because then she would not be here in his arms like this, yet the heaviness in his heart would not go away. It was all he could get for now…_

Bernard awoke with an aching erection and a burning longing in his heart. He was thanking the gods that he was in the privacy of his apartment; otherwise it would have been a slap to Kisuke's face. He then broke into silent tears. How he missed her so. But Kate would never come back to him; she had already made up her mind.

Back at the hospital, Kisuke still awaited the moment his wife would open her eyes. He wanted to be the first person she would see. But it seemed that time was still far off. Yet he was a patient man. For the love of his life, he would be.

During the third time the children came to visit, Shin was clutching a framed photograph of their wedding day which now rested on the table. The blond man remembered that day with fondness. They both were happy, full of hopes and dreams. He grabbed the photograph. Kate was wearing a strapless champagne colored satin gown and she was glowing beautifully like a diamond. Her smile was sweet and serene as her left hand clutched his. And she was looking at him with all the love in the world. There was nothing he could've asked for. He was wearing a smart black tux, but even if he was wearing nothing but a trash bag, she would've married him anyway. Those were happy times, but he had no time to feel bitter now, not when he had to be strong for her.

_As she walked down the aisle, Kisuke could still not believe that this day had come. He still could not believe that he would be spending the rest of his life with Kate. His heart was about to burst, he was just too excited. He knew he was grinning like a fool, but he did not care. All he cared about was that stunning woman walking toward him, who was about to become Mrs. Kisuke Urahara._

_"Do you, Kate Fukushiema, take this man as your lawfully wedded husband… through sickness and in health… until death do you part?"_

_"I do."_

_"Do you, Kisuke Urahara, take this woman as your lawfully wedded wife… through sickness and in health… until death do you part?"_

_"I do."_

_"Then you may kiss the bride."_

_The guests' loud cheers erupted around them but they really did not care. Their lips met, signifying the start of their forever. Kate's arm wound around his neck; the other held his cheek while her lips locked with his. His own arms were wrapped around her. He was lost in the softness of her lips. They briefly broke the kiss to look into each other's eyes, and then both broke into giggles. Their lips met again, this time more passionate._

_"I love you, Kisuke, very much." She whispered to his ear, her forehead resting against his cheek._

_"I love you too." His arms tightened around her. "And I will do so for the rest of my life."_

He felt the sting of incoming tears. Everything started out with promise. Then their lives were turned upside down with Bernard's arrival. But he promised to stay beside her, and he would not betray her even if she did.

**Denial**

_Kisuke:_

_It has been more than a month now; Kate's progress seemed to have plateaued. The doctors are losing hope she would ever snap out of this coma. I still hope. I know she's still there somewhere, I can feel it. How can they tell me that my wife would never open her eyes again, that I would never see her smile again? Our children are not yet old enough to lose her. I am not ready to lose her. I know she will someday wake up, and someday I will able to hold her again the way I used to. I will be there by her side. We will start anew. Then everything will be lost in the haze of memories, but we will be happy the way we used to be._

Kisuke was holding her hand, stroking it gently as if it would break. Kate's hand was soft, but it lacked the warmth that he sorely missed. He brought it to his cheek while his other hand caressed her hair, like he always did during the past month. He sighed. He knew that he was fighting a losing battle, but he could not leave her. He still hoped. And that seemed to sustain him, even when nothing else did. He still spoke to her, reminded her of moments gone by, of things yet to pass, encouraging her to open her eyes, to make her respond. But she remained immobile as always.

When he looked at the mirror, he saw nothing more than the ruins of his former self. He wondered if he would regain that. He wondered what it would take to have Kate back, to have things back the way it used to.

Looking back at the unconscious form of his wife, he imagined that she was awake and she was just waiting for him to come to bed. He would then eagerly join her, but they would not sleep yet. They would make love slowly; each would touch those hidden spots that would make the other gasp in pleasure, those spots that were reserved just for the two of them. How he missed her. What he would do to bring those moments back.

The blond man felt the fire within him extinguish with each passing day Kate did not wake up. He was dying, agonizingly slowly. But his love would not let him give up. He kept up appearances; he had to, for his and his children's sakes, as well as Kate's. And he still held onto an unrealistic hope that she would come back to him.

Bernard visited a few more times but could not bear to stay; he was lost in his desire and his jealousy. He also held onto an unrealistic hope but the more he saw them together, the more he realized that his hope was nothing more than a wish that could not be granted. Yes, he loved her so, but he was just a thief, who had taken a bit and had gone into the night. _Kate and Kisuke were more suited to each other, just like two lost pieces of a puzzle. I would never see her again but that's the way it is and the way it should be. I could not take more than I had already taken from them, I could not hurt them more than I already did._

**She Finally Wakes Up**

The children had just gone home with Jyuushiro and Yoruichi. Every time they visit was an exhausting time for Kisuke. Shin was still continuously asking questions, questions that he did not have any answer to. But his children were young and he knew he would have a difficult time explaining things. His best friend and her husband knew better, so they kept quiet most of the time they were there. It had been almost two months; he did not know how long he would have to wait or if he could wait any longer.

After they had gone, he took his usual place, sitting on the leather armchair by his wife's bed. The room by now had the look of being lived in; after all, the blond would head straight for the hospital after work. Some of his clothes littered the couch. His books sat on the shelf, he read them to her. The doctors said this was good practice, as it would help stimulate her nervous system. He soon fell asleep, in a rather awkward position, his upper body leaning forward, head resting on a forearm, one hand in Kate's. A book lay forgotten near his feet.

It was already late at night when the occupant of the bed stirred, as if she was having a dream. Silent tears slid down her cheeks. When the blond man felt her move, he practically jerked awake. He turned on the lamp and saw his wife's tear stained face; her eyes finally open in such a long time.

"Oh my God…" he gently drew her into his arms, and held her there tightly. His own eyes were teary, but from joy and relief. Kate clutched his shirt, her knuckles almost white. He finally managed to call for the nurse on duty to alert the doctors after a few minutes.

After the doctors fussed and checked her for she thought was the thousandth time, Kate felt she was more than exhausted. She felt weak and she just wanted her Kisuke to hold her. When at last he doctors left, she breathed a sigh of relief. She gazed at her husband; there were dark circles under his eyes and he noticeably looked thinner. Had she really been unconscious for almost two months?

"How are you feeling?" the blond man asked, reaching to cup her cheek.

"Exhausted." She smiled at him. Then she reached out as well, to touch his face. "I missed you."

The man sat on the bed beside her, then drew her into his arms. "I thought I'd lost you." Tears threatened to spill from his eyes. "I'm just glad you're awake, I really am."

"I am too."

A comfortable silence reigned over them. "When are the children coming by?"

"I haven't called Yoruichi or Jyuushiro yet. For now I just want you to myself." Hearing these words, the woman felt guilt engulf her heart.

"Kisuke, I…"

"Shhh…" the man held her tighter, voice nearly breaking as he spoke," I don't care, alright? I've forgiven you a long time ago. We'll start from scratch. Then it'll all be fine. I promise."

Kate could not stop the tears from flowing again. She felt as if a huge burden was lifted from her shoulders.

**Epilogue**

It was almost two years after that fateful day. Kisuke was still rattled by an unnamed fear every time he remembered the day he almost lost his wife. He would not know what to do if he really lost her. Their children seemed unperturbed by the past events though but he would not dare underestimate them, after all they were his own flesh and blood. But so long as they were happy, he could breathe easy.

Kate recovered quite nicely after waking up from her coma, with his love and support. She was thankful that she had a husband who still accepted her after all the pain she caused their family.

It was probably late at night. He can only hear his wife's gentle and even breathing. His arms were wrapped around her as her head rested on his shoulder, one hand on his chest. His hold on her tightened a fraction as he landed a kiss on her forehead. Then he gently touched the growing bump of her tummy. Kate stirred but did not wake up. Shin and Aya's excitement was palpable with the incoming addition to the family. He then smiled to himself before closing his eyes.

**00000000000000000000**

**a/n: i really dunno why my brain spewed out something like this... it was based on this really weird dream of mine and i don't have any idea where it came from.**


End file.
